White-winged Tern
White-winged TernWhite-winged TernWhite-winged TernWhite-winged Tern

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Yala National Park
162 Verified sightings at Yala National Park From 2019 to 2026
2,482 Verified sightings across all 66 parks From 2019 to 2026
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the White-winged Tern

The white-winged tern or white-winged black tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) is a species of tern in the family Laridae. It is a small species generally found in or near bodies of fresh water across much of the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The genus name is from Ancient Greek khelidonios, "swallow-like", from khelidon, "swallow".

The name 'white-winged tern' is the standard in most English-speaking countries; in the United Kingdom, this name is also the one used by the formal ornithological recording authorities, but the older alternative 'white-winged black tern' is still frequent in popular use.

Adult birds in summer have short red legs and a short black bill (small and stubby, measuring 22–25 mm from the feathers, decidedly shorter than the head), a black neck (often with a pale gray back) and belly, very dark grey back, with a white rump and light grey (almost white) tail, which often looks 'square' in juveniles. The face is tinged yellowish. The wings, as the name implies, are mainly white. The inner wing is grayish with brown-tipped coverts. In non-breeding plumage, most of the black is replaced by white or pale grey, though a few blackish... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Yala National Park

Whiskered Tern
LC

Whiskered Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias hybrida

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Gull-billed Tern
LC

Gull-billed Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gelochelidon nilotica

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Little Tern
LC

Little Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sternula albifrons

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Caspian Tern
LC

Caspian Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hydroprogne caspia

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Brown Noddy

Brown Noddy

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anous stolidus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Crested Tern
LC

Crested Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus bergii

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Common Tern
LC

Common Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna hirundo

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Lesser Crested Tern
LC

Lesser Crested Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus bengalensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Bridled Tern
LC

Bridled Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Onychoprion anaethetus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Brown-headed Gull

Brown-headed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Sandwich Tern
LC

Sandwich Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Lesser Noddy
LC

Lesser Noddy

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anous tenuirostris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
2 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~20%
3 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~20%
4 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
5 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~10%
6 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
7 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~10%
8 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
9 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
10 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
11 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~10%
12 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
13 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
14 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
15 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
16 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
17 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
18 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
19 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
20 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
21 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
22 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
23 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
24 Wilpattu National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
<5%
25 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
26 Raja Ampat 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
27 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
28 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
29 Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park 🇲🇳 Mongolia
<5%
30 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
31 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
32 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
33 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
34 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
35 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
36 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
37 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
38 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
39 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
40 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
41 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
42 Cape Range 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
43 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
44 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
45 Komodo National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
46 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
47 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
48 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
49 Tangkoko Nature Reserve 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
50 Minneriya National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
Insufficient data
51 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
Insufficient data
52 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
53 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
54 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
55 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
56 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
57 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
58 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
Insufficient data
59 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
60 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
61 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
Insufficient data
62 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
63 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
Insufficient data
64 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
Insufficient data
65 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
66 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a White-winged Tern in Yala National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a White-winged Tern sighting in Yala National Park, based on 162 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see White-winged Tern in Yala National Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for White-winged Tern in Yala National Park in our monthly data.

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